Information about brain tumors

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When brain tumors are very small, some people may not experience any symptoms or the symptoms are so minimal they don’t notice them.

As brain tumors grow, signs and symptoms can vary and largely depend on the tumor’s location within the brain, its size, and how quickly it grows.

Some of the more common signs and symptoms caused by brain tumors include the following:

• Headaches
• Seizures 
• Difficulty thinking, speaking, or finding words
• Changes in personality or behavior
• Weakness, numbness, or loss of movement in one part or one side of the body
• Difficulty with balance or dizziness
• Sensory changes like difficulty hearing, difficulty seeing, or loss of smell
• Memory loss
• Confusion in everyday matters or disorientation
• Unexplained nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue or muscle weakness

Other possible signs and symptoms can include abnormal eye movements, trouble swallowing, trouble walking, weakness or drooping of one side of the face, loss of appetite or weight loss, and slurred speech.

If you are experiencing any new, persistent, or concerning symptoms or you suspect you may have a brain tumor, please talk to your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

If you suddenly experience any of the following symptoms, please call 911:

• Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg
• Trouble speaking or understanding speech
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Difficulty with walking, balance, or dizziness
• Worst headache of your life

While seizures may not require emergency medical attention, call 911 if one or more of the below are true:

• You have never experienced a seizure before
• The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes
• Another seizure soon follows the first one
• A person has difficulty breathing or walking after the seizure
• A person is having a seizure in water
• The person has another health condition like diabetes, heart disease, or pregnancy